Are the Patriots really keeping Jimmy Garoppolo?
Debate the answer with Chad Finn and Boston sports fans at The Sports Q.
Welcome to Boston.com’s Sports Q, our daily conversation, initiated by you and moderated by Chad Finn, about a compelling topic in Boston sports. Here’s how it works: You submit questions to Chad through Twitter, Facebook, email, his Friday chat, and any other outlet you prefer. He’ll pick one each day (except for Saturday) to answer, then we’ll take the discussion to the comments. Chad will stop by several times per day to navigate. But you drive the conversation.So Chad, now that Jimmy [Garoppolo] is not going to be traded, where is all of this going? I’m guessing two more years from Tom [Brady] and Jimmy gets a big contract for 2018 with the understanding that he is the man is 2019. – Marty B.
First, here’s the root of this question in case you missed it:
In a move that will have a ripple effect on all QB-needy teams, Patriots are not expected to trade QB Jimmy Garoppolo, per league sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 1, 2017
Later Wednesday, Schefter went on WEEI and double down on his report, saying: “This is nothing about smoke, this is nothing about leverage, this is nothing about them not getting the price they wanted. This is about one thing plain and simple: They really like Jimmy Garoppolo and they don’t want to get rid of Jimmy Garoppolo.”
Now, I respect Schefter immensely. He’s extremely well-sourced, not to mention the most prominent national NFL writer who didn’t make a fool out of himself during Deflategate. And he’s right. They really like Jimmy Garoppolo. Who wouldn’t?
But it’s not that I think the Patriots are trading him. I’m convinced of it.
Brady is 39, but he’s coming off one of his best seasons, just pulled off a comeback for the ages in the Super Bowl, and reportedly may sign an extension this offseason. It’s a long fall for him just to drop to being a good quarterback rather than a transcendent one. The Patriots also spent a 2016 third-round pick on a quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, whom they like so much that they designated him to return from injured reserve so he could continue to gain first-hand knowledge in practice.
Garoppolo is entering his fourth season in ’17, then he becomes an unrestricted free agent. The Patriots can franchise him, but at a steep price – it will cost them the average salary of the five highest-paid quarterbacks. There’s no way the Patriots are tying $40-something-million up in two quarterbacks then. And it’s hard to figure, given his level of play and the rumors of a new deal, that they intend to move on from Brady anytime soon.
I don’t think this was confirmation that they’re keeping Garoppolo. I think it was a message to the Browns, Bears, Texans, Niners and any other franchise with real interest in Garoppolo to get serious and start putting together their best offers, because it’s going to cost them. I, for one, think he’s going to make an excellent Cleveland Brown.
What do you think? Are the Patriots committed to Garoppolo as Brady’s successor? Or are they sending a message that he’s not going to come cheap? Let’s hear it in the comments.
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